Environmental Health: Consensus Reports

The division produces 60-70 reports per year. These reports are unique, authoritative expert evaluations. Each report is produced by a committee of experts selected by the Academy to address a particular statement of task and is subject to a rigorous, independent peer review. The experts who volunteer their time participating on study committees are vetted to make sure that the committee has the range of expertise needed to address the task, that they have a balance of perspectives, and to identify and eliminate members with conflicts of interest. All reports undergo a rigorous, independent peer review to assure that the statement of task has been addressed, that conclusions are adequately supported, and that all important issues raised by the reviewers are addressed. Thus, while the reports represent views of the committee, they also are endorsed by the Academy.

Search all reports

To search for an exact phrase, use quotation marks (i.e., “Earth and life”)

A growing body of evidence indicates that, increasingly, the public is engaging with science in a wide range of informal environments, which can be any setting outside of school such as community-based programs, festivals, libraries, or home. Yet undergraduate and graduate schools often don’t prepare scientists for public communication.
This practical guide is intended for any chemist -- that is, any professional who works in chemistry-relate...
More >>

The field of atmospheric chemistry came into its own as researchers worked to discover the causes of such problems as urban smog, acid rain, and the stratospheric ozone hole and identify actions that helped to solve each problem. Nonetheless, significant challenges remain as a growing global population intensifies energy use and industrial and agricultural activities. Climate change is one of the greatest environmental challenges facing societ...
More >>

The U.S. Department of State charged the Academies with the task of producing a protocol for development of standard operating procedures (SOPs) that would serve as a complement to the Chemical Laboratory Safety and Security: A Guide to Prudent Chemical Management and be included with the other materials in the 2010 toolkit. To accomplish this task, a committee with experience and knowledge in good chemical safety and security practices i...
More >>

A tremendous number of restoration projects are planned and underway in the Gulf of Mexico to help mitigate damage done by the 2010 Macondo Well Deepwater Horizon oil spill. In order to ensure that restoration goals are met and money is well spent, restoration monitoring and evaluation should be an integral part of those projects. However, evaluations of past restoration efforts have shown that monitoring is often inadequate or even absent....
More >>

The Edwards Aquifer is the primary source of water for drinking in the San Antonio area, and supplies the two largest freshwater springs in Texas, Comal Springs and San Marcos Springs. Both spring systems are used for recreation and are home to several species of fish, amphibians, insects, and plants found nowhere else. Eight Edwards Aquifer species are on the federal Endangered Species List because they are vulnerable to reduced spring flow...
More >>